Fluid meter



heats-Sheet lA FLUIDl METER Filed June 4, 1925 R. B. AMBROSE ET Al.'

July 12, 1927.

m s@ o 3 W/T/VESSES 1% July 12,1927. 'R. B.'AMBROSE ET AL.

FLUID METER Filed June 4, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ROY B. AMBRosn AND JOHN W. PATTERSON, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIAQ FLUrnl METER,

Application vledJune 4, 1925. lSerial No. 34,858.

The presentin'vention is an' improvement in means formeasuring the flow of fiuids, as gasoline and the like, and for registering the amount used in operating a motor, preferably infconnection witha mileage registering. device. Y y

Specifically, the device is designed to operate by intermittently operating mechanism, subject to actuation by one or a pair of rising and falling floats, located in a receiving and.

l, a dischargfingv chamber respectively,` and l top cover 8, leaving a communicatingair` provided with circulation controlling valve mechanism, as 'hereinafter' described; The invention also includes means for transmit-A ting synchronized motion toa recording Adevice, which is preferably located in comparative relation to a mileage gauge.

In the drawings-showing one preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a view of the device in elevation in'position on the dashboard of an automobile.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in sectional elevation, showing the device lwith the valve open, receiving fluid in the tank chamber and delivering to the carburetor chamber. y

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the reverse position, with valve closed, and the carburetor chamber full.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2`with the valve open.

Y Fig.-5 is a'plan viewof Fig. 2, partly broken away. Y n

Fig. 6 is a plan viewof the trigger actuated valve mechanism, open as inthe position of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a similar view, showing the valve mechanismy closed, as in Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 isa vertical sectional view of the mercury sealed transmitting gearing for the recording mechanism. In general terms, the device constitutes a meter, utilizing a double chambered box 2, one chamber S'being in receiving communication by connection 4 with a tank or other source of supply, the other chamber 5 being in delivering communication by connection 6, with a utilizing device, as a carburetor.4

As shown, the chambers 3 and 5 are enclosed within a surrounding air tight casing 2 of cast or other suitable metal, with a dividing partition 7 extending to near the circulation space 9. Chamber 5, as shown, is

' somewhat deeper than chamber 3, providing capacity for gravity flow from the latter.

A further object isto always maintain the'.

level in chamber 5;lo'werthan in chamber, as well as to y i chamber 5. y

The bottom portion of chamber 3 opens into chamber' 5 through'a valve-controlled provide ample lower 'capacity inj port 1() which is opened and closed bya valve 11 of any suitable design. Saidvalve'v is designed tov be actuated' in conformity with the operation of a pair of co-acti'ng e' noats 12 and 13 in chambers 3 and 5 respectively, to deliver a measured amount' of fluid' to chamber 5 at eachcycle operation ofthe floats. Y' y.

For such purpose the oats are fixedly connected together by a tilting frame consisting of a pair of thin plates 14, 14, one at each side of partition 7, and xedlyfconnected with a common rockshaftl. The

plates 14 are also connected above partition bell crank lever 17 pivoted atV 18 to the bot- Vtom 19 of chamber 8, the shorty arm of the lever being connected at 20 with the valve by a stem 21.: The long armi of the lever is connected at 22 with a spring 23 secured at its other end to theter'min'al of-a .downwardly extending arm 24. Said arm .isk fixedly attached to rock shaft .15 of the float frame, and swings back and forth wi tilting motion thereof. .n

With arm 24 iny one tilted position, its

h each kterminal is at one-side of the pivoty or .dead center 18, and in the other tilted position it is at the other-side thereof. As arm 24 is moved b theftilting frame it thus effects a sudden siiftingl of the lever, with accompanying opening or closing of valve 11, due

to the' tension of spring 23 at one side or the other of thedead center, as will be readily under'stood. 4V Motion of lever 17 will be limited at one sidei or the other by the closing of the'valve 11 orby abutmentstop 42', as in Figs.7and 6. f"

Thus with theffioats in the position of` Fig.

v2 deii'very` chamber 5 has been drained down tothe levelwhere it isdesirable to replenish it from chamber 3, float 13 having been flotation of float 12.

`loweredx as shown. Chamber 3 being constantly under the head pressure of supply conduit 4, previous to opening a valve 11, the tilting operation is assisted by upward Due to the fact that the double chamber interior of the casing is closed air tight, the pressure in each'chamber will bev always equal, bythe communis cating'fpassage 9. Also, the contained air will always be somewhat compressed with a resulting reaction against the fluid, due to Vthe constant supply connection to chamber 3.

` between high and' low levels, fluid may be i buretor of a gas engine.

withdrawn from chamber 5, as tothe car- Valve controlled port is preferably of `sulicient area to give a free discharge of fluid fromchamber 3, into delivery chamber 5,l at all times, so as to ensureproinpt action of the valve after a short open period. rhus when the valve is opened rby tilting of the frame, luidwill rise in chamber 3 only to a height where the float 12 will yagain tiltthe frame, and cut olf the feed from chamber3.

.In this manneigthe high level of fluid in' chamber v5 is maintained alwaysnormally below that in .chamber 3. y Y K For the purpose of makingfan accumulating record of the quantity of fluid passing `through the meter, we provide at any suitable point, preferably on the dash board,a registering device or dial r-ecorder 25. Such device is also preferably located in visible comparative relation to the usualmileage indicating speedometer 26, so that comparison may be readily made at any time therewith to find the mileage-gallons consumed.

Recordery -is actuated through a flexiblev driving connection 27 with an actuating element in synchronized operative relation and connection with the tilting frame 14. For such transmission, we utilize a vpawl 44 of lever 28, said .pawl engaging, ratchet wheel 29 on the upper end of a driving shaft or stem 30. Said stem is provided with a inion'31 in drivin@ enea tement with a similar gear 32 on the lower Vend of a stem 33, which is in driving connection atv 46 with flexibleshafting 27. g Y

Lever 28 is flexibly connected by link 34 ,with'the endof frame stud 16, whereby ref ciprocation'of the frame will thus ltransmit an accumulating intermittent movement to gears 31 and 32 and shafting 27.

By reason of the ratchet and pawl actuating mechanism being contained within the air tight chamber 5, the driving connection above described is necessarily effected `through means sealing the same from the For such Y subsequent driving connections. purpose we utilize the shaft housings 35, .36, one inside chamber 5, the other outside, whilev the gears 31, 32, are likewise sealed within a surrounding fluid-tight casing 37, 38, held against the bottom of the casing in any suitable wa j The housings 35, 36, are liXedly located in operative relation to the casing and their lower portionsy and the interior of gear casings 37, 38, are' provided with continuous clearance space sufficient to admit of a limited quantity of a suitable fluid sealing element, as mercury 39. As shown, there is an upwardly extending clearance opening above the normal level of the mercury content 39, whichy is sufficiently large to receive and retain anyv surplus under various conditions or in different positions. rlhe device may, therefore, be safely reversed, as in shipment, without impairment,'the mercury resuming its normal relation whenthe sealing members are erected.

Stems 3() and 33y are mounted for free roA tation in tubular bearing extensions 40, 40, and the stems are stepped in terminal bearings 41 for maintaining their continuous operative relation, as in Fig. 8. Bysuch construction, the motion of the tilting frame will be transmitted tothe outer recording device 25 with a minimum of friction and com-` plete sealing against escapey of air from they .float chambers.A

A pet cock 43 is located at a suitable or any desired level as shown, for the purpose of relieving or adjusting the air pressure if necessary, or for increasing the air pressure vaccording to conditions. Such pet coclrmay be used to adjust the air volume and reacting pressure to the desired extent in connection with the desired level of fluid in chamber 5. ,lit/Then the machine is adjusted properly, 'the cock may be permanently closed.

rIhe construction and operation of the invention vwill be readily understood from the foregoing description. Assuming the chambers 3 and 5to be empty of fluid, containing air at say atmospheric pressure, inflow of liquid, as gasoline, through conduit 4,v will elevate llo-at 12, if valve 11' is closed, or will fill chamber to the desired level if the valve is open. Thereupon float 13 will rise, closing the valve, and willthen gradually lower as the supply in chamber 5 is drawn olf down tothe level where tilting of the frame will again open the valve.

In rthe meantime, a fresh volume of fluid will accumulate in chamber 3`for again lilln ing chamber 5, such operation continuing as the fluid is used.

With each tilting operation a definite measured amount Will becharged into chainber 5, lilling it from the low level-to high level, such amount constituting the measured unit represented by movement of the paWl and ratchet mechanism. lThe record indicating device 25 and the transmitting mechanism thereto will, of course, be properly designed and proportioned so as to indicate the total unitary result of all fluid passing through the meter, as in gallons. The recording or total indicating mechanism v'may be of any suitable construction, and may of course, be actuated'by electrically operated means, if. preferred.

It will be understood that the device may be changed or varied in detail construction,A

proportions, capacity, etc., by the skilled mech-anic, but all such changes are to be understood as Within the scope of the .fol lowing claims.

Vhat We claim is: l

l. A fluid meter consisting of a double chambered casing having a common upper air space and providing a receiving and a distributing cavity With an intervening valve controlled port, a valve therefor, a tilting frame having an actuating float in one ofV said cavities, a pivoted lever connected with ythe valve, an arm on the tilting frame, and

a spring connecting the arm with said lever.

2. A'fluid meter consisting of double sided casing having a common upper air space and providing a receiving and a distributing chamber' with supply and discharge connections respectively, there being a valve controlled port connecting said chambers with each other, a valve therefor, a tilting frame having a float in each chamber, and quick-acting opening and closing mechanism connecting the tilting frame and valve. n

3.A fluid meter consisting of a double sided casing having a common upper air space and providing a receiving and a distributing chamber with supply and discharge connections respectively, there being a valve controlled port connecting said chambers with each other, a valve therefor, a tilting frame having a float in each chamber, a pivot-ed lever connected with the valve,

and a spring connecting the lever with the tilting frame and movable across the lever pivot as the frame tilts.

LA fluid meter consist-ing of a double sided casing having a common upper air space and providing a receiving chamber' at one sidel having va supply conduit,- a distribut ing chamber at the other side extending be low the receiving chamberA and having a delivery conduit, a partition between f Isaid chambers having a valve controlled port, a valve therefor, a pivoted tilting frame having a floatin each chamber and a doWnWardly extending arm, a pivotedlever connected with the valve, and a spring connecting the lever with the arm of the tilting frame adaptedy to quickly actuate the lever and valve When swinging across the lever pivot Vupon tilting of the frame in either direction.

5. In combination lwith a closed chamber meter of the class describedhaving` a float actuatedtilting frame Within the chamber,

and an exterior totalizing indicating device,

an inner housing Within the. chamber, an outer housing exterior of the chamber, andf connected motion transmitting mechanism in said housings in operative connection With the tilting frame and With. the indicating device.

6. ln combination with a closed chamber meter of the class described having a float actuated tilting frame VWithin the chamber,

and an exterior totalizing indicating device, an inner housing Within the chamber, anA outer housing exterior of the chamber, a spindle Within the inner housing having ratchet and pawl connection with the .tilting y frame, a spindle Within the outer housing connected With the indicating device, and gearing connecting the spindles.

In combination with a closed chamber meter of the class described having a float actuated tilting frame Within the chamber, and an exterior totalizing indicating device, an inner housing Within the chamber, an outer housing exterior of the chamber, a ispindle Within the inner liiousing having ratchet and pavvl connectionl With the tilting frame, a spindle Within the outer housing connected With the indicating device,fgear ing connecting the spindles,a housing for said gearing, and a fluid sealing element Within said housings. i

In testimony whereof We hereunto aliiX our 

